1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a biological control agent biocarrier derived from the residual cell mass remaining after lipids and soluble proteins and sugars have at least in part been removed from crushed or ground oil seeds. The biocarrier can be loaded with up to 60% by weight of a mixture including a biological control agent and formed into a compactible powder that, for example, can be processed into granules, pellets, tablets or briquettes that do not crumble easily, thereby reducing operator exposure to dust carrying the biological control agent.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The search for better, more economical and more ecologically sound carriers for biological control agents is a continuing one. The organic and inorganic carriers presently available are costly, have low absorbability, are nonbiodegradable or toxic, are not compactible, or have some combination of faults. For example, silica and clay are added to biocarriers derived from wood pulp to make them compactible. These biocarriers are objectionable because silica causes silicosis and is a known carcinogen.